Join Joel Christian Gill & John Jennings for a conversation about identity politics, popular media and comics. Gill is the author and illustrator of Strange Fruit: Vol. 1: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History and the Chair of Foundations at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. Jennings is the co-editor of the Eisner Award-winning collection Blacker Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art.

Joel Christian Gill is the Chair of Foundations at the New Hampshire Institute of Art and recipient of the 2016 Boston University College of Fine Arts Alumni Award. He wrote the words and drew the pictures in Strange Fruit, Volume I: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History and Bass Reeves: Tales of the Talented Tenth, No. 1.

John Jennings is a Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California at Riverside. His work centers around intersectional narratives regarding identity politics and popular media. Jennings is co-editor of the Eisner Award–winning collection The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art and the illustrator for the graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler’s classic dark fantasy novel Kindred.

On Thursday, 3/6, 10am – Million Year Picnic sale on all WILL EISNER TITLES, 20% off

On Saturday, 3/8, 12:30-2:30pm – Comic book workshop for kids at the Cambridge Public Library

On Saturday, 3/8, 3-5pm – Workshop creators sign at the Million Year Picnic

On Saturday, 3/8, 4-6pm – Gregory Benton signing at the Million Year Picnic

On Saturday, 3/8, 10pm – Sale on WILL EISNER TITLES ends

At the invitation of Stephen Weiner, director of the Maynard Public Library in Maynard, MA, Harvard Square comic shop The Million Year Picnic will participate in Will Eisner Week 2014 as its Boston metro-area representative, hosting or co-hosting a series of events, notably two at the Cambridge Public Library. First, to honor the 97th anniversary of Will Eisner’s birth, there will be a Q&A session between cartoonist Paul Hornschemeier (author of MOTHER, COME HOME; THE THREE PARADOXES; the NEW YORK TIMES best seller LIFE WITH MR DANGEROUS; LET US BE PERFECTLY CLEAR; and ALL AND SUNDRY) and underground comics legend Denis Kitchen (cartoonist; author; founder and publisher of Kitchen Sink Press (1969-1999); founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; and Mr. Eisner’s friend, publisher, and agent for decades) at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 6th, 2014 at the Cambridge Public Library. Books by both authors will be available for purchase, and there will be a book signing after their presentation.

In addition, on Saturday, March 8th from 12:30-2:30pm, the Cambridge Public Library will host a comic book workshop for kids with comics creators Jef Czekaj (author of HIP AND HOP, DON’T STOP!; CAT SECRETS; THE CIRCULATORY STORY; and YES, YES, YAUL!), Shelli Paroline (ADVENTURE TIME; MIDAS FLESH), Braden Lamb (ADVENTURE TIME; MIDAS FLESH), Dan Mazur (independent cartoonist, journalist, teacher, screenwriter and editor; co-founder of the Boston Comics Roundtable and MICE: the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo), Bob Flynn (SPONGEBOB COMICS; GULP! a Monster Comics Anthology for Kids), Josh Dahl (RAPID CITY), and Dan Moynihan (whose work can be found in NICKELODEON Magazine and HEEBY JEEBY Comix). All seven creators will be signing at the Million Year Picnic from 3-5pm. At 4pm, they will be joined by Gregory Benton (HUMMINGBIRD, B+F), who will be signing from 4pm-6pm.

Will Eisner Week features a series of events to be held early March 2014 in more than a dozen cities around the country to honor the work and career of the great comics innovator Will Eisner (1917-2005), the comics medium, and the graphic novel format.

Finally, The Million Year Picnic comic shop at 99 MT Auburn ST, downstairs, Cambridge, Harvard Square, MA is running a sale of 20% off all Will Eisner books and graphic novels starting 10am Thursday, 3/6 and running through the close of business on Saturday, 3/8.

For more information, please call The Million Year Picnic at 617-492-6763 and ask for Tony Davis (the owner) or Kelly J. Cooper (clerk & communications).

Aside

In 2 weeks, Lucy Knisley will be signing at the our store on Sunday 4/28 at 2:30pm!
Lucy recently published RELISH in trade paperback & I finished it last night. I really enjoyed it!!! Gentle, nostalgic, funny, and full of cooking advice and recipes. Highly recommended! Continue reading →